Foundry ladle transfer car



June 9, 1959 c. c. GRIFFITHS 2,889,597

FOUNDRY LADLE TRANSFER CAR Filed Jan. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l IN V ENTOR. 4 (ya yam M1 June 9, 1959 c c. GRIFFITHS 2,889,597

FOUNDRY LADLE TRANSFER CAR Filed Jan. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IINVENTOR.

W 6% MWW WkZ/M 177% C. C. GRIFFITHS FOUNDRY LADLE TRANSFER CAR June 9,1959 Filed Jan. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR.

June 9, 1959 c. c. GRIFFITHS 2,889,597

FOUNDRY LADLE TRANSFER CAR Filed Jan. 18, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Unite2,889,597 FOUNDRY LADLE TRANSFER CAR Clyde C. Grifi'iths, Harvey, 111.,assignor to Whiting Corporation, a corporation of Illinois My inventionrelates to a foundry arrangement and ladle transfer car therefor, andmore particularly, to a foundry arrangement for pouring ingots in whichthe molten material is carried in a ladle that is supported on the floorof the foundry during its transfer between the furnace tap and the ingotmolds.

Ingots are conventionally poured from a ladle supported by an overheadcrane that transfers the ladle and its charge of molten material betweenthe furnace tap and the mold. An inherent defect in this type ofarrangement is that the ladle tends to swing during its movement betweenthe furnace tap and the mold, as well as on starting and stopping ofthis movement, and its great pendantly mounted bulk makes it difficultto stabilize at its material receiving and pouring positions.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a practical and safeapparatus and method for transferring molten material between a furnacetap and a mold.

Another principal object of my invention is to replace the conventionaloverhead crane type of foundry arrangement with a more stabilized and amore easily handled arrangement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ladle transfer carthat will transfer molten material between a furnace tap and a moldpositioned at different elevations.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a ladle transfercar that may be operated on both of two intersecting tracks.

Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a ladle transfer carthat is economical of manufacture, convenient in use, and readilyadapted for application to the industrial operations of the type forwhich it is designed.

Other objects, uses, and advantages will be obvious States Patent orbecome apparent from a consideration of the following detaileddescription and the application drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating a foundryarrangement in accordance with the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the ladle transfercar shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 illustrating the ladlecar in pouring position over one of the molds shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the ladle transfer car shown inFigures 1 through 3 on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the ladle supporting frame or truckforming a part of the ladle transfer car;

Figure 5a is a perspective view of a portion of the hoisting mechanismshown in Figure 5; and

2,889,597 Patented June 9, 1959 ire desired structural arrangement) areinstalled which supply molten material to taps 14 that are onlydiagrammatically illustrated since they may be of any conventionaldesign. The taps 14 and furnaces are preferably arranged in a rowcontaining any desired number thereof. A plurality of conventional castiron ingot molds 16 are arranged in a row on the foundry floor 17 infront of the furnace taps 14 and preferably the row of molds issubstantially parallel to the row of furnace taps.

Conventional track rails 18 extend from a point under each furnace tap14 to the row of molds 16 where they intersect track rails 20 that inthe illustrated embodiment are positioned on either side of the row ofmolds. Conventional crossing frogs are applied where the track rails 18and 20 intersect at 19.

In accordance with my invention, a specially designed ladle transfer car22 conveys the molten material from the furnace taps 14 to theindividual molds 16. And since the taps 14 and molds 16 ordinarily areat different elevations, the ladle transfer car also lifts the ladlefrom its material receiving position shown in Figure 2 to its pouringposition shown in Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 4, ladle transfer car 22 generally comprises a cartruck 24, comprising what may be regarded as a lower truck framework,which carries a ladle supporting frame or truck 26, comprising what maybe called an upper truck framework. As shown in Figure 6, the lowertruck framework 24 may comprise an appropriate structure 28, which isonly diagrammatically illustrated, including side members 30, enduprights 32, end platforms 34, and rotatably mounted flanged wheels 36.The rigidly connected uprights 32 and platforms 34 constitute upstandinginverted U-shaped yoke members which rigidly connect the two sidemembers 30 adjacent the ends thereof. The truck 24 has secured thereonin any suitable manner screw type hoisting or lifting jacks 38 that maybe of any conventional design. In the illustrated embodiment, theycomprise screws 40 extending between bearings 42, mounted at the tops ofupright beams 44, and gear boxes 46 through which power is transmittedto screws 40 from belts or chains 48 powered by an appropriate motor 50through suitable gear reducer 52, belts or chains 54, and shaft 56.Longitudinally extending drive shafts 58 interconnect the gear boxes 46on each side of the truck 24, which makes it possible to drive all ofthe screws from a single motor 50 mounted on a platform 34 at one end ofthe car. Gear box 46 and the gearing thereof may be of any appropriateconventional design, so further illustration thereof is omitted.

The truck 24 is driven by a motor 60 through a suitable gear reducer 62,belt or chain 64, shaft 66, and belts or chains 68 that drive shafts 69to which two Wheels 36 are keyed. The motor 60 and its associateddevices, such as the gear reducer 62, are preferably mounted on theother platform 34.

As shown in Figure 5, the ladle supporting frame or truck 26, referredto in the claims as the upper framework, comprises a suitable generallyrectangular structure 71 including lifting beams 70 connected at theirends by appropriate cross beams 72. The lifting beams 70 in theillustrated embodiment at their ends include projections 74 on the topsand bottoms of which are mounted jack nuts 76 that engage the screws ofjacks 38. As shown in Figure 5a, nuts 76 are formed with teeth 77 thatinterlock with teeth 79 fixed to a plate 81 that is in turn fixed toprojections 74 in any suitable manner, as by bolts 83 received in plate85 welded or otherwise fixed to projections 74. It is to be understood,however, that this structural arrangement is shown for illustrativepurposes only, and other conventional screw actuated devices ofappropriate design may be employed.

The truck 26 includes flanged wheels 80 rotatably mounted to the truckframe in any suitable manner. The wheels 80 at one end of the frame aredriven by an appropriate motor 82 through belt or chain 84 trained overwheel shaft 86 to which two of the wheels 80 are keyed.

As indicated in dotted lines in Figures 4 and 5, a ladle 90 is mountedon the frame or truck 26. The ladle 90 is preferably of the bottom taptype, and is shown only in dotted lines since it may be any conventionalmodel. The ladles of the type illustrated ordinarily include a bottomtap rig generally indicated at 92, which conventionally includes a handoperated lever 94 (see Figures 2 and 3) that actuates the rig to tap theladle. The molten material carried by the ladle leaves the ladle througha nozzle 95 (see Figure 3). Ladle tapping mechanisms of this type arewell known in the art, so no further description is considerednecessary. Moreover, the manner in which the ladle 90 is secured toframe or truck 26 is not critical, as any suitable mounting may beemployed, so a detailed description of this structure, aside from thediagrammatic showing, generally indicated by reference numerals 97, isalso omitted.

As shown in Figure 4, the ladle supporting frame or upper truckframework 26 is mounted on the lower truck framework 24 and extendsacross and beyond it. Jack nuts 76 are received on screws 40, and whenscrews 40 are turned in the appropriate direction, truck or frame 26 israised or lowered with respect to the foundry floor. The trucks 24 and26 are so proportioned that when the frame or truck 26 is lowered to aposition of minimum elevation, or a position in which the trucks are invertical juxtaposition, the rail wheels of the truck 26 will lift thecar off of the tracks that the rail wheels of the truck 24 engage. Thesedifferent positions are shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Referring now to Figure l, the foundry arrangement is preferablyoperated in the following manner. The ladle transfer car is positionedso that the wheels 80 of ladle support frame or truck 26 engage trackrails 18. This insures that the ladle will be in its lowermost positionwhen it is disposed underneath furnace tap 14. After the furnace hasbeen tapped, the car 22 proceeds to the row of molds 16 and the tracks20. When the car 22 is correctly positioned over the tracks 20 so thatthe wheels 36 of truck 24 are vertically aligned with rails 20, thehoisting mechanisms 38 are actuated to lower the truck or frame 24sufficiently to bring the wheels 36 of the truck 24 into engagement withtrack rails 20; continued operation of the hoisting mechanisms raisesthe frame 26 and its ladle 90 to the appropriate height so that theladle will be positioned above and pass over molds 16. The transfer car22 then is moved to a mold 16 on one side or the other of the track 18from which the transfer car just left. When the car 22 is correctlyspotted over a mold 16, lever 94 of the bottom tap rig is actuated totap the ladle and fill the mold. The ladle transfer car then proceeds tothe next mold until the ladle charge is exhausted.

In the illustrated embodiment, the motors 50, 60, and 82 areelectrically operated. Electric energy is supplied to the car through anappropriate cable that extends from a suitable electric outlet 102,where it is plugged in by an appropriate disconnectable connector, to aspring biased reel 104 secured in a suitable manner to the car 22. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the reel 104 is mounted underneath theoperators platform 106 of the car (platform 106 may include guard rails107). The conduit 100 is appropriately electrically connected toappropriate motor controls 108 mounted within reach of the operator,which are in turn electrically connected to motors 50, 60, and 82. Asthe car 22 moves back and forth on the rails 18, the conduit 100 isdrawn from the reel 104 or is wound up by it as the case may be. Whenthe car 22 moves down the row of molds 16 to the next set of rails 18,the conduit 100 is connected to the adjacent electrical outlet 102.

Though electric motivation and controls are illustrated, it will beappreciated that other types of power units and controls may be employedas will be necessary or desirable in a particular installation.

I contemplate that appropriate shields may be provided for the motorsand operator, though these are omitted for clarity of illustration.

One of the principal advantages of my invention is that it eliminatesthe overhead crane type of arrangement which, as indicated hereinbefore,is inherently difiicult to operate safely due to the extreme weight ofthe ladle and its load and the tendency of the ladle to swing dur: ingmovement or upon stopping or starting of movement. In employing myinvention, the ladle is kept relatively close to the foundry floor andis inherently much more stable since swinging of the load as a Whole isprecluded. In accordance with my invention, the molten material istransferred from the tap to the mold while being supported on thefoundry floor.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate my invention and the manner in which it may be performed,and the invention is not to be limited thereto, except in so far as theappended claims are so limited, since those skilled in the art who havemy disclosure before them will be able to make modifications andvariations therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A ladle transfer car for conveying molten material from a furnace tapsuccessively to molds spaced from the tap and aligned in a row extendinggenerally normal to the movement of the car between the tap and themolds, said car comprising a lower truck framework in: cluding a pair ofspaced parallel side members having at their opposite ends a pair ofupstanding inverted U-shaped yoke members connecting the two sidemembers and having adjacent each end of each side member an upright jackand a supporting wheel rotatable in a vertical plane parallel to saidrow, in combination with an upper truck framework of generally openhorizontal rectangular shape extending across the lower truck frameworkhaving an upright ladle of the bottom tap type mounted in its center andhaving a pair of supporting wheels extending out beyond each of the sidemembers of the lower truck framework and mounted for rotation invertical planes normal to the planes of the first named wheels andhaving means engaging each of said jacks for operation thereby to raisethe upper truck framework, from a lowermost position in which the wheelsof the lower truck framework are elevated, to an uppermost position inwhich the yoke members of the lower truck framework straddle the row ofmolds and the ladle surmounts the molds successively for discharging itscontents into them.

2. A ladle transfer car as claimed in claim 1 in which each of saidjacks is a rotatable screw and the means engaging each jack is a nutthreaded on said screw.

3. A ladle transfer car as claimed in claim 1 in which a motor fordriving the supporting wheels of the lower truck framework is mounted onthe horizontal portion of one of the yoke members of said framework.

4. A ladle transfer car as claimed in claim 1 in which each of saidjacks is a rotatable screw and the means engaging each jack is a nutthreaded on said screw and a motor for driving said jacks is mounted onthe horizontal portion of one of the yoke members of the lower truckframework.

5. A ladle transfer car as claimed in claim 1 in which each of saidjacks is a rotatable screw and the means engaging each jack is a nutthreaded on said screw, a motor for driving said jacks is mounted on thehorizontal portion of one of the yoke members of the lower truckframework, and a motor for driving thesupporting wheels of the lowertruck framework is mounted on the hori zontal portion of the other ofsaid yoke members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS733,253 McDowell July 7, 1903 929,440 Ilifi July 27, 1909 1,017,290 Hamet a1. Feb. 13, 1912 1,890,361 Beattie Dec. 6, 1932 10 2,480,909 DavisSept. 6, 1949 2,734,730 Talboys Feb. 14, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES WhitingLadles, page 39, 1947.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.,2,889,597 June 9, 1959 Clyde C Griffiths It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 2, lines 66 and 67, for upper framework," read upper truckframework;-o

Signed and sealed this 8th day of December 1959.,

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT c. WATSON Attesting Oflicer Commissioner ofPatents

